Treating agent dispenser for automatic washing machine



1968 J. o. WRIGHTENBERRY 3,419,192

TREATING AGENT DISPENSER FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE Filed June 12.1967 Sheet F'lGA HTENBEERY:

1968 J. o. WRIGHTENBERRY 3, 9,

TREATING AGENT DISPENSER FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE Filed June 12,1967 Sheet 2 of 5 Fi G.A

TERRY O. WRIGHTENBERRY \-us ATTORNEY 1968 J. o. WRIGHTENBERRY 3,419,192

TREATING AGENT DISPENSER FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE Sheet 3 of FiledJune 12, '1967 INVENTOR. JERRY O.WR\GHTE'NBERRY BY fi H 15 ATTORNEY3,419,192 TREATING AGENT DISPENSER FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE JerryO. Wrightenberry, Jetfersontown, Ky., assignor to General ElectricCompany, a corporation of New York Filed June 12, 1967, Ser. No. 645,21410 Claims. (Cl. 222-166) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mechanism fortightly closing and positively opening a treating agent dispensingdevice of the type including a cup pivoted in a side-opening housing onthe inner face of a wash chamber door of an automatic washing machine bya door-journaled shaft. The mechanism includes a cup shaft-attached camhaving a lead surface intersecting and declining from a lobe surface,and a camfollowin-g latching lever pivoted on the door on an axle spacedfrom the cup shaft. The lever is interconnected to the cam by a tensionspring and has a cam follower which is slidable along both the camsurfaces. When the follower is slidably engaged with the cam leadsurface it is yieldably urged therealong by the spring to rotate the cupto a closed position substantially totally inside the housing. Unlessthe follower is slidably engaged with the cam lead surface, the springyieldably urges the cup to rotate to an open position substantiallywholly outside the housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally toautomatic washing machines and more particularly to an improved treatingagent dispensing means for an automatic washing machine.

Although not limited in its usefulness thereto, the present invention isparticularly adapted for use in an automatic dishwasher.

In an automatic dishwasher, it is desirable to provide one or morepre-rinses with hot water to warm the dishes and remove gross food soil.The pre-rinses are followed by a wash operation in which detergent isadded to the water.

The detergent is conventionally automatically dispensed at thecommencement of the washing cycle from a treating agent dispensing meansof the type including a cup pivoted in a side-opening housing on theinner face of a bottom-hinged wash chamber door by a door-journaledshaft for movement between a closed position within the housing to anopen position outside the housing.

Prior to the pre-rinses, the door is in a horizontal open position topermit loading of the soiled dishes. Before closing the door, the cup isopened, manually filled with detergent and rotated to its closedposition where it is held by various conventional releasable latchmeans.

Then, the door is closed and the dishwasher sequence control means isactuated to start the pre-rinsing. The sequence control means actuatesconventional trip means to release the latch means at the commencementof the washing cycle and the cup pivots to its open position dispensingthe detergent to the Wash chamber.

It is desirable that the cup be firmly held in its closed positionduring the pre-rinses to avoid entry of water into it. However,undesirable water entry has presented a problem in the past, because ofthe partial re-opening of the cup closed by previously-known latchingmeans or closing mechanisms, frequently causing a granular detergent tocake and fail to dispense properly from the cup during the washingcycle.

" nited States Patent SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Invention objects It istherefore a primary object of the present invention to provide animproved automatic washing machine treating agent dispenser of the typeincluding a cup relatively movable between an open position outside ahous ing and a closed position within the housing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an overtravelmechanism for tightly closing such a dispenser.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a mechanismfor tightly closing and positively opening such a dispenser whichemploys a single yieldable member to urge both the closing and opening.

Statement of the invention All of the foregoing objects aresubstantially achieved by the presently preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. This presently preferred embodiment, described simplycomprises: (A) a cam (I) mounted on the cup shaft for rotationtherewith, and (2) having (a) a lobe surface and (b) a lead or controlsurface intersecting and declining from said lobe surface; (B) alatching lever (1) pivoted on an axle spaced from said cup shaft, and(2) having a cam follower slidable along said cam surfaces; and (C) asingle tension spring connected between said cam and lever in such amanner that 1) unless said follower is slidably engaged with said camlead surface, said spring yieldably urges the cup to pivot to an openposition substantially wholly outside the housing, and (2) when saidfollower is slidably engaged with said cam lead surface, said springyieldably urges said follower to slide therealong to rotate the cup to aclosed position substantially totally within the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The present invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a door for an automaticdiswasher having mounted thereon the dispenser of the present invention;

FIGURES 2-4 are fragmentary views along the left or inner .face of thedoor of FIGURE 1, showing various pivotal positions of the dispenser cupand showing in shadow the respective conditions of the mechanism fortightly closing annd positively opening the cup;

FIGURES 2A-4A are partly broken fragmentary views taken substantiallyalong line AA of FIGURE 1, showing in detail the mechanism shown inshadow in FIG- URES 2-4 respectively;

FIGURES 5-7 are views corresponding to FIGURES 2-4, respectively, of amodification of the dispenser of the present invention;

FIGURES 5A-7A are views similar to FIGURES 2A4A of the modifiedmechanism shown in shadow in FIGURES 5-7, respectively;

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view corresponding to FIGURE 2A; and

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view corresponding to FIGURE 5A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing,FIGURE 1 illustrates the upper portion of a dishwasher door 10 which isdesigned to be bottom hinged to a dishwasher cabinet (not shown) forpivotal movement between a generally vertical closed position and agenerally horizontal open posi 3 tion. Such dishwasher doors areconventional and one of such doors is described in detail in US. PatentNo. 3,125,- 249, issued Mar. 17, 1964 to Norman L. Kendt, and assignedto the General Eelectric Company, assignee of the present invention.

The door '10 has an outer wall 11 and an inner wall 12 definingtherebetween a chamber 13. The inner wall 12, which faces the Washchamber of the dishwasher when the door is in its closed position, has aportion 14 (:0- operating with an intermediate wall 15 to form a secondchamber 16. The walls 11, 12 and 15 may be suitably interconnected bysuch means as welding to provide a unitary structure.

The second chamber 16 contains a conventional sequence control means 17which sequentially energizes and tie-energizes the various electricalcomponents of the dishwasher. The sequence control means 17 includes asynchronous electric motor 18 which rotates a shaft 19 through a clutch(not shown). The motor-powered shaft 19 carries a trip cam 20. Amanually operable knob 21 is secured to the shaft 19 and protrudesthrough an aperture in the door outer wall 11, whereby the operator ofthe dishwasher may rotate the knob 21 to adjust the sequence controlmeans 17 to initiate operation of the dishwater or modify the operatingcycle thereof.

With the exception of the specific configuration and function of thetrip cam 20, which is to be discussed in greater detail hereinafter, theforegoing elements 10-21 are substantially conventional in nature. Thatis, many automatic dishwashers are provided with a sequence controlmeans and a manually-operable knob interconnected to the sequencecontrol means. Because of this, the foregoing elements 10-21, with theexception of the trip cam 20, may be modified considerably withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention. These elements 10-21have been described in some detail, however, inasmuch as suchdescription will contribute to a clear understanding of the structureand operation of the present invention.

In an automatic dishwasher of the type just described, a complete cycleof operation conventionally includes an initial charge of water to thewash chamber, which is closed by the door 10, followed by energizationof a water and pump assembly (not shown) whereby the water is movedabout within the wash chamber to effectuate a pre-rinse. After apredetermined interval, the motor and pump assembly drains the waterfrom the wash chamber thus completing the first pre-rinse. The firstpre-rinse may be followed by a second pro-rinse identical to the first.This is followed by a wash operation which is substantially identical tothe pre-rinse operations except that it is of longer duration andincludes the admission of detel-gent to the water. The wash operation isfollowed by one or more post-rinses which are identical to theabove-described pre-rinses. Following the final post-rinse an electricalresistance heating element (not shown) is energized and the articleswithin the wash chamber are dried by evaporation.

The present invention is particularly concerned with means to dispensethe detergent into the Wash chamber at the appropriate time during theafore-described cycle of operation. In accordance with the presentinvention, an improved dispensing means, shown generally at 22, isprovided to automatically dispense a granular treating agent such as adishwasher detergent into the wash chamber.

The dispensing means 22 includes a hollow housing member or housing 23carried on the inner or wash chamber face of the inner wall '12 of thedoor 10. The housing 23 has a compartment 24 and an opening 25 throughone of its sides into said compartment 24. The housing compartment 24 isadapted to receive a cup-like member or cup 26 through the side opening25. The cup 26 is secured to a short shaft 27 to rotate therewith. Theshort or cup shaft 27 has its inner end journaled in the housing 23adjacent one end of the opening 25 and its outer end journaled in andprojecting through a bearing 28 mounted in the door intermediate wall15.

As best shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, the housing 23 is preferablypositioned on the door inner wall 12 so that, when the door 10 is in itsclosed position, the upper edge of the housing 23 is immediately belowthe sequence control-housing portion 14 and the short or cupshaft 27 issubstantially in a common vertical plane with the motor-powered shaft19.

With this arrangement, the cup 26 is hinged in the housing 23 by thecup-shaft 27 for pivotal movement through the housing side opening 25between a fully open position substantially wholly outside thecompartment 24 (FIGURE 4) and a closed position substantially totallywithin the compartment 24- (FIGURE 3).

The cup 26 is adapted to receive and contain, and subsequently dispensea granular treating agent, such as a dishwasher detergent. Since thehousing 23 is carried by the inner face of the door .10, the cup 26faces upwardly when the door 10 is in its substantially horizontal openposition, as it will be when loading soiled articles into the washchamber prior to commencement of the dishwasher operating cycle. At thistime, it is desirable that the cup 26 be in its fully open position bothto alert the operator to fill it with detergent and to facilitate suchfilling.

After filling it with detergent, the cup 26 can be manually or otherwisepivoted into the housing compartment 24, the door 10 closed, and thesequence control means 17 actuated to commence the pre-rinsing. Duringthe prerinsing, it is highly desirable that water be prevented fromentering the cup 26 and caking the granular detergent which it contains.A bafile 29 is provided on the outer side of the cup 26 which isintended to fit tightly about the perimeter of the opening 25 into thehousing compartment 24 to guard against water entry into the housed cup26 and means are required for holding the cup tightly within the housingcompartment 24 during the pre-rinsing.

At the completion of the pre-rinses, means are required which can beautomatically actuated by the sequence control means 17 to return thecup 26 to its fully open position at the commencement of the washchamber to dispense the detergent into the Wash chamber.

In accordance with the present invention, a mechanism, generallydesignated 30, shown in shadow in FIGURES 2-4, and illustrated in detailin FIGURES 2A-4A, is provided which: (1) provides the required means forholding the cup 26 tightly within the housing compartment 24 during thepre-rinsing; (2) provides the required means which can be actuated bythe sequence control means 17 to return the cup 26 to its fully openposition at the commencement of the wash cycle; and (3) retains the cup26 in its fully open position until the door is re-opened.

The mechanism 30, illustrated in detail in FIGURES 2-4 and 2A-4A,basically comprises: (a) a cam or control part 31; (b) a cam-followinglatching lever 32; and (c) a tension spring 33.

The cam 31 comprises a disc mounted on the protruding outer end of thecup-shaft 27 for rotation therewith. The outer periphery of the cam 31is formed with a curved lobe surface 34 and shorter substantially fiatlead or control surface 35. The cam lobe and lead surfaces 34 and 35intersect one another at an intersection 36, and the cam lead surface 35declines from the intersection 36 to a pierced ear portion 37, whichprotrudes from the cam outer periphery at a point opposite theintersection 36.

The cam-following latching lever 32 is bowed and substantially centrallypivoted on an axle 38. The lever axle 38 is mounted on the outer face ofthe intermediate wall 15 of the door 10 between the cup-shaft 27 and themotorpowered shaft 19, and is transversely spaced from the common planeof these shafts.

Assuming the door is in its closed or substantially vertical position,the bowed lever 32 can be viewed as including an upper arm 39 having anupper edge which faces the outer periphery of the trip cam and a lowerarm 40 having an inner edge which faces the outer periphery of thecup-shaft cam 31.

The lower lever arm 40 is pierced adjacent its lower end, and its inneredge, which faces the cup-shaft cam 31, is formed with a cam-follower 41having a point or apex 42.

The tension spring 33 is respectively connected at its opposite ends tothe pierced ear portion 37 on the cupshaft cam 31 and the pierced lowerend of the lower lever arm 40, to yieldably urge or bias the followerpoint 42 into slidable engagement with the outer periphery 'of thecup-shaft cam 31.

As illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 2A, the cam 31 is so mounted on thecup-shaft 27, that, as the cup-like member or cup 26 is pivoted towardits closed position, the cup-shaft cam 31, is rotated clockwise and thepoint or apex 42 of the latching lever cam-follower 41 can slide alongthe cup-shaft cam lobe surface 34 toward the intersection 36 between thelobe and lead surfaces 34 and 35.

When the cup 26 is almost fully within the dispenser housing 23 (FIGURES2 and 2A), the follower point 42 travels over the intersection 36 andinto slidable latching engagement with the cup-shaft cam lead surface35. At this time, the spring 33 biases the follower point or latchingsurface 42 to move along the lead or control surface 35 away from theintersection 36. This causes the cupshaft 27 to continue to rotate orpivot clockwise until the baffle 29 is tightly engaged about theperimeter of the side opening into the cup housing compartment 24, andtightly latches the cup 26 in its fully closed position substantiallytotally within the dispenser housing 23 (FIG- URES 3 and 3A).

In accordance with the present invention, the sliding of the latchinglever cam-follower point or latching surface 42 along the cup-shaft camlead or control surface 35 is promoted by forming the lead surface 35and the follower 41 in such a manner that the cam lead surface 35 andthe lower follower edge will be disposed at an interfering rather than acomplementary angle to one another when they are slidably engaged(FIGURES 3 and 3A).

The mechanism 30 will continue to hold the cup 26 in the tightly closedposition (FIGURE 3) that is desired during the pre-rinsing, until thelatching lever 32 is pivoted about the lever axle 38 to remove thefollower 41 from sliding engagement with the cupshaft cam lead surfaceIn order that the cup 26 can be automatically and positively re-openedat the commencement of the subsequent wash cycle, the outer periphery ofthe trip cam 20 is provided with a lobe surface 43. As illustrated inFIGURES 4 and 4A, the trip cam lobe surface 43 is rotated clockwise bythe sequence control means 17 to slidably engage the upper edge of thelatching lever upper arm and pivot the lever 33 counter-clockwise aboutthe lever axle 38 to remove the lever follower 41 from engagement withthe cup-shaft cam lead surface 35. Upon removal of the follower 41 fromthe lead or control surface 35, the cup- 26 is unlatched and the spring33, sharply biases the cupshaft 27 to rotate counter-clockwise to pivotthe cup 26 to its fully open position substantially wholly outside thedispenser housing compartment 24.

The abrupt opening of the cup 26 aids the dispensing operation since ittends to flick the detergent from the cup 26 to the wash chamber.

Furthermore, the spring 33 will continue to urge the cup 26 to remain inits fully open position until the door 10 is re-opened. Hence, theoperator will be alerted to the need for refilling the cup withdetergent.

FIGURES 57 and 5A-7A illustrate a modified form of the mechanismprovided by the present invention for tightly closing and positivelyopening the dispenser cup 26.

This modified mechanism 44 also basically comprises:

6 (a) a cam or control part 45; (b) a cam-following latching lever 46;and (c) a tension spring 47.

The modified cam 45 also comprises a disc mounted on the protrudingouter end of the cup-shaft 27 for rotation therewith. The outerperiphery of the cam 45 is for-med with a curved lobe surface 48 and ashorter fiat lead or control surface 49. The cam lobe and lead surfaces48 and 49 intersect one another at an intersection 50 and the cam leadsurface 49 declines from the intersection 50 to a pierced ear portion51, which protrudes from the outer periphery of the cam 45 at a pointopposite the intersection 50.

The modified cam-following latching lever 46 is substantially straight,and is pivoted adjacent one of its opposite ends on an axle 52, which istransversely spaced from the common plane of the cup and motor-poweredshafts 27 and 19.

Assuming the door 10 is in its closed or substantially verticalposition, the modified latching lever 46 can be viewed as being pivotedadjacent its lower end to its axle 52, which is mounted below thecup-shaft 27 on the outer face of the intermediate wall 15 of the door10. As thus seen, the modified lever 46 has an upwardly projectingdistal end and an inner edge which faces the outer periphery of themodified cup-shaft cam 45.

This inner edge of the lever 46 is formed with a protruding cam-follower53 and pierced ear portion 54. The ear portion 54 is located between thepivoted lower end of the lever 46 and the cam-follower 53.

The cam-follower is formed with a curved upper surface 55 intersected bya substantially flat lower or latching surface 56 which declines to thelever inner edge.

The tension spring 47 for the modified mechanism 44 is respectivelyconnected at its opposite ends to the pierced ear portions 51 and 54 ofthe modified cup-shaft cam and lever 45 and 46 to yieldably urge or biasthe follower 53 into slidable engagement with the outer periphery of thecam 45.

As illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 5A, the modified cam 45 is so mounted onthe cup-shaft 27, that, as the cup-like member or cup 26 is pivotedtoward its closed position, the cup shaft cam 45 is rotated clockwiseand the curved upper surface 55 of the modified latching levercam-follower 53 can slide along the cup-shaft cam lobe surface 48 towardthe intersection 50.

When the cup 26 is almost fully within the dispenser housing (FIGURES 5and 5A), the lower or latching surface 56 of the follower 53 travelsover the intersection 50 and into slidable latching engagement with thecam lead or control surface 49 at a contact point adjacent theintersection 50. At this time, the spring 47 biases the follower loweror latching surface '56 to the slide along the cam lead or controlsurface contact point in a direction away from the intersection 50 andtoward the cup-shaft 27. This causes the cup-shaft 27 to continue torotate or pivot clockwise until the battle 29 is tightly engaged aboutthe perimeter of the housing side-opening 25, and tightly latches thecup 26 in its fully closed position substantially totally within thedispenser housing 23 (FIGURES 6 and 6A).

In accordance with the present invention, the sliding of the lower orlatching surface 56 of the latching lever follower 53 along the cam leador control surface contact point is promoted by forming the cam leadsurface 49 and the follower lower surface 56 in such a manner that theywill be disposed at an interfering rather than a complementary angle toone another when they are slidably engaged (FIGURES 6 and 6A).

The modified mechanism 44 will continue to hold the cup 26 in thetightly closed position (FIGURE 6A) until the latching lever 46 ispivoted clockwise about its axle 52 by modified trip means (not shown)operated by the sequence control means 17 at the commencement of thewash cycle to disengage the follower 53 from the cam lead surface 49.While these modified trip means are unshown, it should be understoodthat they can be similar to the trip cam 20, and are releasably engagedwith the upper end of the modified latching lever 46.

As shown in FIGURES 7 and 7A, disengagement of the latching leverfollower 53 from the cam lead surface 49 unlatches the cup 26, and thespring 47 sharply biases the cup-shaft 27 to rotate counterclockwise toabruptly pivot the cup 26 to its fully open position. The spring 47 willcontinue to urge the cup 26 to remain in its fully open position untilthe door 10 is re-opened.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that, in accordancewith the present invention, a single tension spring connected betweenthe cup shaft cam and the latching lever can act alternatively: (1) tobias the cup 26 toward the open position when the cup shaft cam leadsurface and lever follower are disengaged from one another; and (2) tobias the cup 26 to the closed position when the cup shaft cam leadsurface and lever follower are engaged with one another. The spring 31can perform this dual function in the above-described mechanism 30(FIGURES 2A-4A), as can the spring 47 in the modified mechanism 44(FIGURES 5A7A).

FIGURES 8 and 9, respectively, diagrammatically illustrate theconstructions of the mechanisms 30 and 44 of the present invention whichcan enable the single tension spring 30 or 47 of each to perform thisdual function.

FIGURE 8 corresponds to FIGURE 2A and shows the condition of themechanism 30 at the instant that its latch follower 41 travels over theintersection 36 and into sliding engagement with its cup shaft cam leadsurface 35.

FIGURE 9 corresponds to FIGURE 5A and shows the condition of themodified mechanism 44 at the instant that its latching lever follower 53travels over the intersection 50 and into sliding engagement with thelead surface 49 of the modified cup shaft cam 45.

In order that the single spring 33 or 47 can perform its above-describeddual function, the torque to pivot the cup shaft 27 clockwise to movethe cup 26 toward its closed position (T must be greater than the torqueto pivot the cup shaft 27 counter-clockwise to move the cup 26 towardits open position (T when the mechanisms 30 or 44 are in the conditionsshown in FIGURES 8 and 9, respectively. As illustrated in FIGURES 8 and9, this is accomplished by appropriate sizing of the cup shaft cam 31 or45 and latching lever 32 or 46 and spacing of their respective pivotaxles 27 and 38 or 52.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that, witheither of the mechanisms 30 or 44, T can be made to exceed T in theconditions illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 9 by sizing and arranging theircup shaft cam 31 or 45 and latching lever 32 or 46 so that L is greaterthan L L /L where: L equals the perpendicular distance or arm lengthbetween the axis of the cup shaft 27 and the axis of the force (F of thespring 33 or 47 on the spring-pierced cam portion 37 or 51; L equals theperpendicular distance or arm length between the axis of the cup shaft27 and the axis of the resultant force (F of the spring 33 or 47 on thecam lead or control surface 35 or 49; L equals the perpendiculardistance or arm length between the axis of the latching lever axle 38 or52 and the axis of the resultant force (F of the spring 33 or 47 on thelever follower lacting surface 42 or 56; and L equals the perpendiculardistance or arm length between the axis of the latching lever axle 38 or52 and the axis of the force (F of the spring 47 on the spring-piercedportion of the latching lever 32 or 46.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects ofthe invention are not limited to the particular details of constructionof the examples illustrated, and it is contemplated that various othermodifications or applications will occur to those skilled in the art.For example, the housing member 23 might be mounted to the shaft 27 forpivotal movement therewith relative to the cup member 26 which could bemade stationary. It is therefore intended that the appended claims shallcover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the truespirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a treating agent dispenser having a cup member for receiving thetreating agent and a housing member for covering the cup member,operating means comprising:

(a) a shaft mounting one of the members for pivotal movement relative tothe other so as to selectively uncover the cup member from the housingmember and cover it therewith,

(b) a control part on said shaft having a control surface thereon,

(c) a pivotally mounted latching lever having a latching surface movablyengageable with said control surface to releasably retain the cup memberin a covered position within the housing member, and

(d) yieldable means connected to said lever for biasing said latchingsurface to move along said control surface in a direction to pivot saidshaft and the one member in a direction toward covering the cup memherwhen said latching and control surfaces are engaged with one another.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said yieldable means is also connected to said control part andbiases said control part to pivot said shaft and the one member in adirection toward uncovering the cup member when said latching surface isdisengaged from said control surface, and

(b) said control and latching surfaces are so arranged that engagementtherebetween under the force of said yieldable means biases said shaftand the one member in a direction toward covering the cup member.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein:

(a) said yieldable means consists of a tension spring.

4. The invention of claim 2, further including:

(a) means for moving said lever against the force of said yieldablemeans to disengage said latching surface from said control surface,thereby to allow said yieldable means to pivot said shaft and the onememher in a direction toward uncovering the cup member.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the cup member is mounted on said shaft for pivotal movementrelative to the housing member.

6. In a treating agent dispenser having a housing member and a treatingagent-receiving cup member which is movable through an opening in thehousing member between an open position substantially wholly outside thehousing member and a closed position substantially totally within thehousing member, a mechanism comprising:

(a) a shaft mounting one of the members for pivotal movement relative tothe other of the members,

(-b) a cam mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith,

(c) said cam having a lobe surface and a lead surface intersecting anddeclining from said lobe surface,

((1) a pivotally mounted latching lever having a cam follower movablealong said cam surfaces, and

(e) yieldable means connected to said lever and biasing said follower tomove along said lead surface away from its intersection with said lobesurface to pivot said cam and the attached shaft and one member in adirection to locate the cup member in the closed position when saidfollower is engaged with 3,419,192 9 10 8. The invention of claim 7,wherein: References Cited (2.) said yieldable means consists of atension spring. UNITED STATES PATENTS 9. The invention of claim 6,wherein:

(a) id cam follower ha an apex slidable along both 12/1961 Kend? 222-166Said cam Surfaces 5 3,062,412 11/1962 Cushing M 2 2- 6- 10, Theinvention of claim 6, wherein: 3212675 10/1965 Krzewma 222-166 said camfollower has a first surface slida-ble along 3300O96 1/1967 Perl 222 166said cam lobe surface, and (b) said cam follower has a second surfaceslidable WALTER SOBIN Prlmary Examiner along said cam lead surfaceadjacent to the inter- 10 US. C1.X.R. section of said cam surfaces.222-70

